The Hawks' Herald | Sept. 16 2021 by Hawks' Herald

www.rwuhawksherald.com Vol. 34, Issue 3 FREE

New First Year Learning Community

Faculty Senate urges action Initiative begins for RWU first year students this fall regarding Afghanistan Jimmy Sadowski News Editor

On Monday Sept. 13, all first year students at Roger Williams University began their First Year Learning Community (FYLC). The FYLC is a group every first year student has to meet in for a 50-minute session once a week for 10 weeks. Associate Dean of Student Success Allison Chase Padula said the sessions are led by a facilitator who could be a faculty member, someone from student life, someone from the advising office or even a provost like Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Margaret Everett.

“In response to that challenge we decided to create these first year learning communities as a way to provide some extra support for those students to make that transition successfully.” -Allison Chase Padula

The First Year Learning Community is an initiative first envisioned by Padula and the Center for Student Academic Success staff when preparing for the new academic year. Padula said she then brought the idea to Everett who helped design the initiative. “We had lots of conversations with different constituencies across campus. I invited faculty to help give feedback and participate in it as well. Staff to do the same,” Padula said Padula said the purpose of the FYLCs is to help students with the transition into college that can be challenging especially with the pandemic. “In response to that challenge we decided to create these first year learning communities as a way to provide some extra support for those students to make that transition successfully,” said Padula. “[It also helps] promote a sense of community and remind students that they have lots of places on campus for support, both for each other and also on reaching out to upperclassmen, faculty and staff.” The FYLCs all had their first session either last week or this Monday according to Padula. Padula said the first two weeks focused on preparing the students for

the first days of classes and community engagement. “The first week was really [about] getting to know one another,” said Padula. “[Students] getting to know their facilitator, and talking a little bit about the first week and first days of classes. It really focused on transition things like the differences between high school and college.” “The second week we’re embarking on now is all about community engagement,” said Padula. “We’re introducing [the first year students] to what [community engagement] means at Roger Williams University and all the different ways you can get involved with the community whether that’s joining a club or an organization, thinking about doing study abroad in the future or doing community service.” Padula said all FYLCs have the same curriculum. There are a total of 46 FYLCs at RWU this academic year.

See

FYLC

on page 2

Luke Brennan Managing Editor

The situation in Afghanistan is ongoing and the lives of thousands are in danger. On Sept. 8, a special Faculty Senate meeting was held regarding the crisis in Afghanistan, specifically its effects on students and scholars in the country. The Roger Williams University Faculty Senate passed a motion to urge the Student Senate to consider introducing a motion or motions of support and action with respect to the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, as well as the threat academic students and scholars there are under. Professor Adam Braver spoke at the meeting on why RWU should respond to the crisis in some way because he felt it was an important issue specifically for the university. “I come from the perspective that it is the responsibility of all of us as members of the global higher education community (faculty, students, administrators) to work to protect each other, especially when so many of our colleagues around the world are under threat to life and livelihood,” Braver said.

“I come from the perspective that it is the responsibility of all of us as members of the global higher education community (faculty, students, administrators) to work to protect each other, especially when so many of our colleagues around the world are under threat to life and livelihood.” -Adam Braver

See Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Students in Karen Bilotti and Dr. Zoila Quezada’s First Year Learning Community meet for 50 minutes on Wednesdays.

SENATE

on page 2

SECTION EDITOR

Jimmy Sadowski jsadowski031@g.rwu.edu

NEWS

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

CAMPUS HAPPENINGS Upcoming events:

Friday, Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. WQRI and CEN bonfire at the Lower Rugby Field Saturday, Sept. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ICC Drive-In showing “Grown Ups” at Lot D

News:

The Roger Steering Committee met Wednesday and Thursday to deliberate about updating campus COVID guidelines. This includes mask wearing policies and allowing visitors among other topics of discussion. The decisions should be released publicly next week. Students who have not complied with testing regularly received letters from the student conduct office. About 100 letters were sent on Friday regarding missed tests. Students who miss their testing time are advised to test as soon as possible after the missed test. If a student cannot make their scheduled test time they can go whenever they have time. 94% of students on campus are vaccinated. The university believes that can get to 95% as more students upload their vaccination records and receive their second dose of the vaccine. Wednesday marked the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Multicultural Student Union (MSU) hosted an event last night to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month with food trucks, read more about on page 4. The last day to drop a class without the withdrawal grade is Sept. 28.

September 16, 2021

FYLC

from page 1

Padula said there are groups included in that number of 46 that previously had programs that will stay in those programs but with the FYLC curriculum incorporated into them. These groups include international students with the global ambassador program, honors students with Honors 100, and students who are members of Strive, Overcome, Achieve, Rise (SOAR) and the Intercultural Leadership Ambassador Program and Scholarship (ILAPS).

SENATE

from page 1

In his presentation to the Senate, Braver cited the organization Scholars at Risk (SAR), which helps academic scholars receive temporary work positions in other countries due to their home country being unsafe to work in. Braver also served as the Steering Committee Chair of the Scholars at Risk U.S. section. “RWU has been a member of SAR for over a decade,” Braver said. “Through an agreement between RWU and SAR, the International Seminar program is coordinated at RWU.”

At the beginning of the course Padula said students took a pre-course survey in the first session and at the end of the 10 weeks of classes they will take a post-course survey followed by an end of semester survey to “see what impact the FYLC had on them in their transition.” “Obviously, we’re hoping for positive feedback,” said Padula. “But, we’re also hoping to hear if there were things they would have liked to have been part of the program that we could think about doing in different ways in the future.”

Braver’s decision to go to the Faculty Senate stemmed from the fact that he “started being CC’d on emails from Afghan students, faculty, etc who were pleading for help to get out of the country in order to save their lives.” Braver also said, “there were accounts of direct threats on them and their families by the Taliban, as well as accounts of friends and colleagues disappearing and/or being executed.” “My hope is that RWU will always remain committed to continuing its longstanding tradition of supporting threatened scholars,” Braver said. He added that he “would leave it to those who are best positioned to determine what is and is not feasible for how RWU can respond.”

THE GAVEL

Your source for Student Senate news This week we welcomed Vice President for Student Life John King and Interim Director of Public Safety Mark Porter to discuss the plans surrounding COVID-19 protocol and public safety along with how they both might change throughout the semester. King discussed that not everyone is testing on a regular basis and there are still issues with mask compliance. It is our responsibility as students to respect the mask mandate and testing protocol. We were introduced to Mark Porter and he discussed his ideas and plans to sharpen up public safety and response time on campus. When talking with both Dr. King and Mr. Porter, we as a senate placed a heavy emphasis on advocacy for mental health, consistency and transparency. Two pieces of legislation were passed. The first bill established the Bylaw Review Committee which will review and revise the Student Senate Bylaws. The second bill that was passed was the first step in changing our constitution so that we can expand the number of Senators from 20 to 23. The student body will get to decide on if this change is allowed during the fall elections. As always, follow us on Instagram, Tik Tok and Twitter @RWU_Senate and try to attend our weekly meetings on Mondays at 6:30 p.m. in the Mary Tefft White Center on the first floor of the library. Our meetings are recorded so if you cannot make the meetings, you can watch the recordings on the Senate YouTube page so make sure to check those out!

Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald RWU has worked with Scholars at Risk for many years. Last year, the students in the Human Advocacy Seminar course advocated for those in danger in their home countries.

SECTION EDITOR

Samuel Elwell selwell531@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

Physical vs. digital media

Sam Elwell Opinions Editor

The process of recording language, music, stories and many other aspects of our culture is nothing new and has been going on for a millennia. For the vast majority for this time, recording has been done in an analog format or, in other words, physically represented where the media itself is, how you access its contents and is not easily transferred to another format. It has only been very recently, around the late 20th century, where digital media became the dominant source of media consumption. In this format, whatever content you are trying to access is much easier to transfer since the media is stored in code. The most common example of this is internet streaming services such as Spotify, Netflix and a variety of social media platforms for photo and video sharing. Within the last decade or so, we have seen a resurgence of physical, analog media among younger generations. This includes polaroid and film-based photos as well as vinyl records and cassettes for music. Take music for example. Vinyl LPs

have skyrocketed back into popularity and has once again become one of the most popular mediums for music consumption. While reasons may vary for the resurgence of physical media, some suggest it has to do with the stronger connection between the consumer and the product. With digital music such as CDs and streaming, you can choose what song you want to play and when, and you can skip what you do not feel like listening to. With vinyl and cassettes, you are basically forced to listen to every song on an album with little options for skipping. It is not just a change we are seeing in the types of formats that we consume media, but also where we choose to purchase the media. Dedicated brick and mortar stores are becoming increasingly popular for music and books and have an even larger reach thanks to the ability to set up online stores. I personally like utilizing physical media such as books and vinyl and I know I am not alone in emphasizing the importance of having both options open as a physical representation of our history and culture can provide a much bigger impact despite the efficiency of digital.

OPINIONS September 16, 2021

Bartender Billy

FUNKY FIREBALL DRINKS Some can drink Fireball straight out of the bottle, others shudder at the idea of the cinnamon whiskey and some people need it to be mixed with another drink. Whichever one you may be, here are some Fireball mixtures that are sure to spice up your night. Fireball and Cream Soda It tastes like a cinnamon roll! Fireball, vanilla ice cream and milk An interesting twist on a milkshake. Fireball and RumChata Tastes like cinnamon toast crunch. Fireball, vanilla vodka and apple juice Tastes just like Grandma’s homemade apple pie. Fireball, apple cider and ginger beer Mix it in a blender with ice to make an apple cider slushie. Fireball, coffee, milk, pumpkin puree, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice No need to go to Starbucks to get your pumpkin spice latte fix.

The Hawks’ Herald does not condone underage drinking. Please drink responsibly

Do you have opinions? Want your voice to be heard? Email your stories to hawksherald@gmail.com Courtesy of Travis Yewell on Unsplash There has been a resurgence in popularity of vinyl records. Younger generations are making this form of media one of the most popular ways to listen to music.

SECTION EDITOR

Amy Martin amartin052@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Emily Dvareckas edvareckas213@g.rwu.edu

FEATURES September 16, 2021

Magic of Lyn visits RWU

Amy Martin Features Editor

Over the weekend, magic and illusions made a special appearance at Roger Williams University. On Sunday, Sept. 12, Student Senate and Student Programs, Leadership, & Orientation (SPLO) hosted a magic show and dinner for students in the Field House, serving favorites from Buffalo Chicken Dip to finger desserts. Students were also able to enter tickets into different raffles to win exciting prizes at the end of the night.

Illusionist Lyn Dillies performed a number of tricks throughout the evening with the help of her assistant TJ. From simple card tricks to mindblowing escape acts, Dillies blew the audience’s mind. “It was such an extraordinary show,” said sophomore Lauren Moulaison. Dillies is one of the few female escape artists, and she is the first illusionist ever to make two live Asian elephants appear in succession. There were no elephants at this particular magic show, but that did not make the show any less

Amy Martin/The Hawks’ Herald Illusionist Lyn Dillies performs a magic trick on her assistant TJ. After spinning the box around a few times, she revealed that his torso has somehow twisted.

Food, bonding and appreciation

impressive. Dillies brought a few students on stage throughout the show. She was able to make one student levitate, picked the correct card that another student was thinking of, and even predicted the thoughts of a random student before the show even started. The show was not only filled with magic but with humor as well. Dillies and her assistant would bicker, and the song choices poked fun at what was happening on stage. Dillies would also joke around with the audience and encourage engagement.

The night ended with a grand switcheroo between Dillies and her assistant, who swapped spots in a locked box in a blink of an eye. Dillies also changed from her black outfit into an American-themed one in that short time. The winners of the raffles were then announced after Dillies gave her thanks. The prizes included a coffee maker, a pair of AirPod Pros and 50 Hawk Dollars. To learn more about Lyn Dillies and her magic, visit magicoflyn.com.

The culinary collaboration will begin Sept. 21 and last until Oct. 12, with the dishes being available between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in Commons. From 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sept. 24, MSU will be hosting a workshop for Hispanic Heritage Month. Quiroa could not give many specifics but hinted that the guest speaker was someone who works closely with Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee. The workshop will take place in the Global Heritage Hall (GHH) Atrium. Quiroa is most looking forward to Noche Latina, which is being cosponsored with HALSA and will take place on Oct. 8 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the GHH Atrium. It will be his first time experiencing the night, which is usually a yearly occurrence, which adds to his excitement. Quiroa is excited for the monthlong event series and hopes the RWU community feels the same. He described how MSU is proud to help diversity flourish in the predominantly white RWU community. “We always want to let BIPOC students know that they belong here

and that they earned their right to be here, and if they feel like they don’t know who to turn to who could understand their issues, MSU always wants them to know that we are here,” Quiroa said. These events are a great way for Hispanic and Latinx students to celebrate their cultural heritage and find others they can relate to. They are also wonderful opportunities for non-Hispanic or Latinx students to learn about cultures they have not experienced and help them understand and appreciate the differences between them and their classmates. “Here’s to a successful Hispanic Heritage Month, not only for MSU, but for any of my Hispanic/LatinX friends who are longing for a sense of home and comfort,” Quiroa said. “You are loved, you deserve and earned your right to be here on campus, and never let anyone else tell you that you are not. Stand proud and stand strong, mi gente. And, of course, good luck to all of you with the rest of the school year!”

MSU gets ready for their Hispanic Heritage Month events Emily Dvareckas Photo Editor Sept. 15 marks the beginning of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month. The month is a celebration of the culture and contributions of Hispanic Americans. Around the country, celebrations occur between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15. For the Roger Williams University community, the celebrations are being hosted by the Multicultural Student Union (MSU) and will include many events to help celebrate and honor Hispanic American history. The president of MSU, junior Jesahias Quiroa, is in his first year leading the celebrations. Quiroa is the son of two Guatemalan parents, and when he came to RWU, he felt isolated and alone. He then began getting involved with the school after seeing

posters about MSU and the Hispanic and Latinx Student Association (HALSA). He began feeling accepted in the community and wished to help others who felt the same way as him. “Because of the experience I had here, I want to make sure Hispanic and LatinX students are able to find people they can relate to and, even if it is just meeting one person to say hi to on their way to class, that small thing can really make a big difference,” Quiroa said. “I know that’s what helped me and I want to do everything I can to help others like me.” One of the events planned for the month-long series is a collaboration with Commons and will consist of different Hispanic and Latinx dishes. According to Quiroa, MSU wanted to do this collaboration to give Hispanic and Latinx students a feeling of home, although nothing could beat his

Chloe Noyes/The Hawks’ Herald MSU kicking off their Hispanic Heritage Month Event series with a celebration in the GHH atrium on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

SECTION EDITOR

SECTION MANAGER

Kristen Dansereau Andrew Hart kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu ahart360@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

SPORTS September 16, 2021

‘Running is it’

Liam Engel shares his love for cross cross and track Drew Hart Sports Manager “I just love the sport.” Liam Engel, a junior on the Roger Williams University men’s cross country and track and field team is no stranger to the sport of running. When not running on winding courses blanketed by the fall foliage of New England, Engel can be found on the track competing in the 800-meter race and the 400-meter relay. To say Engel has lived an active lifestyle is an understatement. Besides running track and cross country, Engel also played lacrosse, soccer, tennis and even skied when he was younger. “Running is it. Running is my big sport. I’ve always been the best at that, and I have a lot of fun doing that,” said Engel, who originally picked up the sport in the seventh grade while in middle school. On top of his love for the sport, Engel’s desire to compete on the collegiate level steered him down the road to continue his running career.

“I always dreamed of running in college. That was always a big thing with me. I always just kept running because I wanted to stick with it and get better so I could get to that college level,” said Engel. Like many athletes at RWU, Engel has had to deal with the effects of COVID-19 that were imposed on athletes and their teams. In his first year, he was able to compete in the Fall 2019 cross country season but missed out on his freshman year of track and field until he finally debuted for the Hawks last spring, helping them bring home a conference championship. “It was definitely a big step up from high school,” said Engel when speaking about the absence of his true freshman year of running track. Although he missed out on what would have been his sophomore year for cross country, Engel has found it easier to readjust to the return to cross country than track in part because of the one year of experience he already had and the makeup of the team.

“You’re much closer to your teammates on cross country just because the team is much smaller and everyone does the same thing,” said Engel. “I like cross country more because of that aspect, but track is also fun because there are a lot more people you can meet,” he said. In the Hawks’ first meet of the season at the Suffolk Invite, Engel finished 51 in the field of runners. For the cross country season, Engel’s first priority is to help the team bring home a conference championship something the men have not done since the fall of 2014, while also looking to consistently finish in the top seven for the Hawks in their meets. “The team’s really doing well this year so that’s good. I feel like we’re doing much better than we have in the past, definitely from last year. I feel ready,” said Engel. Engel and the Hawks will travel to North Dartmouth, Mass. on Sept. 18 for their next meet in the UMassDartmouth Invitational.

Ready to come out swinging

Men’s golf starts their fall season on Sept. 16 Kristen Dansereau Sports Editor You may not know what Roger Williams University’s golf team’s season looks like, but the team has been hard at work to make it a successful one. During the first week of school, the team begins their fall season scattered with tournaments, including the CCC qualifiers. The catch about the qualifiers being in the fall is that the team doesn’t see another conference match until the following spring. Men’s golf practically plays year round with a season of tournaments in the fall and conference play in the spring, and a winter filled with offseason preparation for what is to come in the spring. The team plays the CCC qualifiers Thursday, Sept. 16 at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and must place top four out of the eight teams to secure a spot in spring conference play. Captain of the Men’s Golf Team, Ben DeFelice has been competitively playing golf since the age of 12 but truly began his introduction to the sport at

the age of seven or eight. “There was a circuit called the challenge cup and it was a tournament circuit where you span from everywhere in New England,” DeFelice said. “It helped me learn how to deal with things under pressure and I mean if I didn’t ever do that I mean I wouldn’t be in the position I am today.” DeFelice expressed optimistic feelings in the air coming from the team about this upcoming season and the support the players have for one another. The team has a few new players coming in this year, but DeFelice and the other returners have been working to encourage their peers and boost their confidence going into this week. He explained the team culture as a mission of brotherhood where they work together on and off the field. As a freshman, DeFelice was taken under the wings of some seniors who taught him the ropes of the game at Roger Williams University. His wish is to pass along the support and knowledge they gave him to the younger players on the team now. “I was so grateful to be able to have

those guys and the least I could do is to extend the favor,” said DeFelice. The head coach of men’s golf is Ed Kirby, who is returning for his fourth year coaching here. “We couldn’t have a better coach in New England,” said DeFelice. “He’s been at the highest level of our game and he’s played in the PGA tour and the biggest tournaments in the world.” The coach works with the players to emulate that feeling and prepare them for the matches based on his extensive experience. DeFelice expresses the significance of this by explaining there is a difference between playing a leisurely game with your friends on the weekend versus playing at the tournament level and being under pressure in the moment. The golf team is going into this Thursday with a positive mindset, prepared to give their all and return with a spring season full of CCC matches and the chance to compete at the national level.

Check out the golf team’s schedule at www.rwuhawks.com

On the Fly with Josh Rowlands

Josh Rowlands is on the club rugby team at RWU.

Age: 20 Hometown: Portsmouth, NH Major: Psychology Why do you like rugby? My Dad played for England back when he was young, and he always talked about the bond you build with your teammates. I always admired that and wanted to do so myself. You end up building a brotherhood of teammates eventually. Go-to practice song? “Who Shot Ya” by Notorious B.I.G. Favorite place on campus: Commons Favorite thing about RWU: The friends I’ve made here Favorite meal on campus: The California roll and Shoreline combo sushi Favorite TV show: “The Grand Tour”

SECTION EDITOR

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

DESIGNER

Rachel Dvareckas rdvareckas244@g.rwu.edu

EDITOR’S DESK September 16, 2021

EDITORIAL: Keep our environment clean Beer cans, plastic bottles and used masks. These are just a few of the many items that littered the shell path this past weekend. While we have an amazing clean-up crew who pick up our forgotten garbage, it is still our responsibility as students to keep nature clean. Nobody enjoys seeing litter carelessly thrown into nature because, frankly, it is a huge eyesore. Beyond that superficial reasoning, we should look at the deeper impact that waste has on land animals and sea life. We may not always see our furry friends on campus, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Animals often mistake trash as food, which will not digest properly in their stomachs. Other animals can unfortunately tangle themselves in our trash, causing them to die. RWU is also on the water which means

we should be even more cautious about leaving trash by the water. During storms, garbage can find itself into waterways and wind can blow our forgotten junk into the water. Trash has the ability to alter habitats and chemically impact our aquatic friends, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Plastics are not as biodegradable as other substances and, when that waste does decompose, it breaks down into tiny microplastics As we move forward this fall semester, remember to keep the environment clean. Whether you’re outside a residence hall or by the shell path, trash cans and recycling bins are at almost every turn to properly dispose of your garbage. By doing this, we are caring for our environment and keeping it clean so students and wildlife may reap the benefits.

Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Trash cans are available throughout the shell path.

Emily Dvareckas/The Hawks’ Herald Beer cans and water bottles litter the beach areas and grass along the shell path. Photo taken on Wednesday, Sept. 15.

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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FACULTY ADVISOR

NEWS EDITOR

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SPLO ADVISOR Adrianne Harris aharris@g.rwu.edu

PHOTO EDITOR

Janine Weisman jweisman@g.rwu.edu

Jimmy Sadowski jsadowski031@g.rwu.edu

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OPINIONS EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

PHOTO MANAGER

SPORTS EDITOR

ARTS & CULTURE MANAGER

PHOTOGRAPHERS

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FEATURES EDITOR

Emma Bartlett ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu

Sam Elwell selwell531@g.rwu.edu

Kristen Dansereau kdansereau387@g.rwu.edu

Andrew Hart ahart360@g.rwu.edu

CORRECTIONS There are no corrections this week.

The Hawks’ Herald · Suite 212, Campus Recreation Center · 1 Old Ferry Road · Bristol, R.I. 02809

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Amy Martin Emily Dvareckas Chloe Noyes

SECTION EDITOR

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Emma Bartlett Kayla Ivan ebartlett122@g.rwu.edu kivan850@g.rwu.edu

ARTS & CULTURE

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September 16, 2021

Nine-Nine’ Celebrate Bristol ‘Brooklyn will air last episode PorchFest 2021 After eight seasons, the series comes to an end on Sept. 16

Kayla Ivan Arts & Culture Manager

Emma Bartlett Arts & Culture Editor

Courtesy of Boris Apple This year’s Bristol PorchFest will occur on September 19 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will include a variety of singer-songwriters and student performers.

Come out and support the 2021 Bristol PorchFest on Sept. 19 from 3 to 6 p.m. This free music event will occur on High Street between Walley St. and Byfield St in Bristol and will be presented by Arts In Common — Bristol’s local organization that strives to help promote arts and culture in the community. At this year’s PorchFest, the first since Sept. 2019, there will be 18 acts performing from nine different porches in town. The performers will range from soloists to small groups playing acoustically or with low amplification; onlookers may bring their own chairs to sit in or can walk by while listening to different types of music. The event’s singer-songwriters and bands will engage in a range of genres including 80s-style, electronic, jazz, Broadway tunes, Irish music, Portuguese music, Americana folk music and many other inspirations.

MaryKae Wright, the PorchFest co-chair and a member of Arts In Common, said they “have amazing porches and great local musicians — combining the two is the perfect way to bring together friends and neighbors for an afternoon in Bristol.” With safety as a top priority, the Bristol police will be patrolling intersections on Sunday afternoon, beginning around 2:45 p.m. and ending around 6:15 p.m. Local eateries in Bristol will also have specials to complement the event, including favorites such as Portside Tavern, Judge Roy Bean, Bar 31 and The Common Pub. You are also able to tip the performers if you would like; cash and digital tips are appreciated. The rain date for Bristol PorchFest is set for Sunday, Sept. 26 from 3 to 6 p.m. For more information about the event, check out their instagram page: @Bristol_ PorchFest

All television fans experience the unfortunate moment where they hear their favorite series is coming to an end. No matter how much we hate saying goodbye to the characters who have become an active part of our lives, we learn to appreciate the countless moments of laughter and tears they have caused. The latest show that is leaving live television and breaking many hearts in the process? “Brooklyn Nine-Nine. For those who have not spent hours upon hours of watching the show, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” follows the 99th police precinct in Brooklyn, New York, where an assortment of quirky detectives solve cases and bond inside and outside the office. Mostly revolving around Jake Peralta (played by Andy Samberg), audience members learn to love all the nine-nine crew over the eight seasons. Originally a Fox series, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” was cancelled after five seasons, but after fans’ requests, NBC bought the show and continued running it for an additional three seasons. While there are many notable American sitcoms, “Brooklyn NineNine” shines above others for its portrayal of serious issues while maintaining a sense of humor throughout the episodes. The show has also been recognized for its portrayal of people who identify as

LGBTQ+, where it received a GLAAD Media Award. Captain Holt (played by Andre Braugher) is in charge of the precinct and has faced adversity for being a Black, gay man. Overtime, he has worked his way up to Captain -- but not without obstacles along the way. After seven seasons, the show took a break at the beginning of the outbreak of COVID-19. With a year to compile a memorable final season, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” returned to live television on Aug. 12 and will come to an end on Sept. 16. Thus far, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” season eight started off strong with the first episode addressing crooked cops and the racial injustice that became more apparent in May 2020 with the events occurring around the unjust situation concerning George Floyd. The show did not shy away from the touchy subject matter and handled the episode in a powerful and appropriate manner. Yet for every serious moment, there is always a moment of laughter. Over the final season, fans will see Doug Judy (Craig Robinson) make an appearance; he and Peralta go on one last adventure. And of course, fans will encounter the Boyle cousins and the “mother dough” one last time. “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” may be ending, but thanks to Hulu and Peacock, all seasons can be streamed online. If you haven’t finished the series or need a new show to watch, this is the perfect sitcom.

Courtesy of NBC A scene from the seventh season of “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” The show will end after this current season after being on the air since 2013.

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September 16, 2021

Album Review: ‘The Metallica Blacklist’

From Phoebe Bridgers to Weezer to J Balvin, “The Metallica Blacklist” has a lineup like no other. Originally released in 1991, Metallica’s self-titled album, referred to as “The Black Album,” is a classic, with many arguing that it is Metallica’s best album. In honor of the 30th anniversary of the release, Metallica compiled a 53-track mega album with different artists singing their version of the original 12-song tracklist. Released on Sept. 10, “The Metallica Blacklist” is a masterpiece. In the fivehour run time, you do not get bored of listening to the same song over and over again because each artist brings their own style to the table. The overlap of genres is an interesting take that is not often heard to this degree on other albums. Artists on the

album come from all different generations and genres, including rap, country, pop, Spanish and indie. Even though the album is the same 12 songs, your attention will be kept the whole time. The lyrics do not change but the feel of the song does, giving listeners the ability to be surprised with each track. While listening to the album, we found ourselves excited to hear the next song even though it was our fifth time listening to “Enter Sandman” in one sitting. We find it very difficult to pick our favorite track off the album as each comes with its own special sound that makes it great. While first looking at the featured artists, we thought Corey Taylor’s rendition of “Holier Than Thou’’ would prove to be our overall favorite as we are big fans of Slipknot and Stone Sour. However, once we began listening to the album, it became harder to discern our favorite. Taylor’s rendition is amazing and definitely one

Courtesy of Brett Murray Metallica and Miley Cyrus on The Howard Stern Show on Sept. 9, 2021. Cyrus’s rendition of “Nothing Else Matters” was one of the first songs to be released from “The Blacklist.”

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of our favorites, but so is Phoebe Bridgers’s rendition of “Nothing Else Matters’’ as well as Weezer’s rendition of “Enter Sandman’’ and The Mexican Institute of Sound’s take on “Sad but True.” Miley Cyrus’s version of “Nothing Else Matters’’ with Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo and Chad Smith was an instant favorite of ours when it was released in June. We could go on and on with the list. As diehard metalheads, seeing country artists and pop musicians on the track list made us a bit nervous that one of the greatest metal albums would be tarnished. Yet, we were pleasantly surprised after listening to the tracks and realizing the mixture of these genres with Metallica provide interesting songs that we find enjoyable. Having such a vast array of artists and genres allows people to understand the importance of Metallica’s influence in the music industry. They were the first band to perform in every single

continent (yes, even Antarctica.) They are legends in the music world and that is evident with the amount of artists featured on this album. Part of the album’s appeal is the incredible generosity that comes with it. The album’s profits go to Metallica’s charitable foundation, All Within My Hands; this non-profit aims to create sustainable communities by supporting workforce education and fighting against hunger. On top of that, each featured artist chose a charity that the profits from their individual tracks will go to. This record serves as a celebration of the past 30 years of Metallica and is a way to appreciate the songs that defined rock and metal across genres. “The Metallica Blacklist” is worth a listen no matter what genre you like as it has something for everyone. Physical copies of the album will be available in October, but for now you can find it digitally wherever you stream music.